SheStarts

A groundbreaking documentary web series that follows the highs and lows of nine female entrepreneurs as they bring their tech and businesses ideas to life during an eight month startup accelerator program.

SheStarts was an Australian-first in digital storytelling, designed to engage, inspire and educate other women and girls about the possibilities for women in STEM and entrepreneurship.

Through the real and authentic stories of the nine founders, the series aimed to draw attention to the stark realities of the startup economy in Australia, where only 1 in 4 startup founders are women.

By putting the emerging tech economy into perspective, these stories highlight the need for gender diversity in tech - a move towards making impactful change for women in startups.

Episodes

Episode 1 takes us behind the scenes of startup bootcamp, where 20 female-led startups have been selected from hundreds of applicants to take part in a rapid validation process and pitch for a spot in the SheStarts accelerator, with $100,000 each in investment up for grabs. For some of the founders, this is the first time they have stepped into the world of startups - leaving behind their day jobs to find out if their idea is game-changing enough to make it on the global tech landscape. From 20 founders, only ten will be selected.

Nerves are building, tensions are running high, and the judges are waiting to see who will grab their attention and convince them their startup is worth investing in. Will Emma be able to get her message across? Will Lisa overcome the nerves? Can Lauren prove she’s ready to launch a global tech company?

This week’s episode takes us inside the deliberation room, where the panel of expert judges are faced with the difficult decision of which startups to invest in and whose lives to change. There is a great sense of anticipation as the founders wait to hear the final outcome at the big Showcase event.

As the founders learn about lean experiments and customer validation, and hear from seasoned entrepreneurs about what to expect, for some the reality is setting in that they may need to rebalance their lives. Family, friends, starting a global tech company - how will it all come together? And for two women who missed out on the program, a surprise is in store...

As the SheStarts founders get deeper into the program and the development of their startups, questions are starting to arise about how they see themselves and present themselves to the outside world. Will issues such as unconscious bias affect their ability to succeed, or can they embrace the power of their gender to elevate their success?

As the founders hit week three of the accelerator program, the pressure is on to articulate a clear direction for their business. They all share great passion for their ideas, but the founders now need to put in place a strategy to achieve their goals, and create successful, scalable tech companies.

How do you talk about something as complicated as blockchain or as sensitive as death? Can you turn a sales pitch into a story people want to hear? As the founders work to refine their pitches - and some even prepare to take them public - two are faced with the extra challenge of translating complex problems and awkward topics into something anyone can relate to.

Image if you could see the world through someone else’s eyes. In this episode, Refni founder, Xiao Han must take her incredible vision for cracking the online ‘filter bubble’ and turn it into a product people want to use today. But how do you design a solution for a problem many people don't even know exists? Join the rollercoaster ride of customer discovery, as Xiao Han goes back to the future to bring her idea to life.

The clock is ticking with only two months to go until ‘Demo Day’. As the founders go deeper into the detail with their product managers, strong leaders like Anna are challenged to let go of the reins and tap into the expertise of others. But how do you filter through a mountain of feedback and advice to decide on the right product to build? And what does it mean to be a leader when you’re stepping into the new world of tech?

This week’s episode is a deep dive into the co-founder conundrum, as the co-founders of Otlet and Neighbourlytics navigate the obstacle course of starting a business together. And for solo-founder Sally, the question is how long is too long to go it alone.

In every ‘no’ there is an opportunity to find out what it would take to become a ‘yes'. In this week’s episode, Claire from Vetchat must confront her critics and overcome a fear of rejection to ensure her startup succeeds.

As a founder you have to always be selling, to get the people you need on board. But when is the right time to start engaging potential partners? And how do you sell something when the product doesn’t yet exist? In this episode, Sally from Airloom, Jess and Lucinda from Neighbourlytics, and Carla from Longevity face these challenges.

BanjoMaps founder Anna Wright works side-by-side with her development team at BlueChilli to put an early prototype into the hands of key customers, to get vital user feedback that will help make the app the best it can be.

How do you find out what your users really want when you haven't got a complete product to share? In this week’s episode, with demo day fast approaching, VetChat’s Claire Jenkins is forced to go outside her comfort zone, to turn her existing product upside down and work with the development team on a totally new approach… and there’s no guarantee of success.

It's often said that one of the most important qualities in a startup founder is 'coachability'. Put simply, it all comes down to whether a founder can take on feedback, especially when it challenges their own ideas. But when everyone around you has an opinion, how do you make those tough decisions to steer your business in the right direction?

Demo Day. It's a golden opportunity for startup founders to showcase their products, meet with key decision makers, and forge a path to gain insights, pilots, and partnerships. But when 100 people pour into the room, will the founders be ready?

With a room full of interested partners pouring in for Demo Day, the founders are on fire. The pitches are engaging, business cards are flying across the room and the feedback from all the guests is incredible. But what do you do with a stack of positive feedback and a mailing list of interested customers?

In the latest episode, as the energy boost of demo day passes the founders are nose-to-the-grindstone. For Neighbourlytics Co-founders Jess and Lucinda, the massive demands of chasing their dreams force a reality check on what it’s all about…

In this week's episode, we follow Longevity CEO and co-founder, Carla, as she takes the next step in exploring a relationship that could hold the key to reaching a massive audience ready and willing to use her product.

As the founders prepare for their massive trip to Silicon Valley, feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt start to resurface. For Otlet co-founder Lauren, planning for the massive trip is just one more thing to juggle alongside a fledgling business and a PhD. So just how do you prepare for meetings with tech giants like Google and Facebook? In this week's episode we travel to Adelaide to spend time with Lauren and her partner Annabel, and most importantly, see how being an entrepreneur doesn't mean you have to go it alone.

It's here … the SheStarts founders are off to Silicon Valley! In Part 1 of the three-part SheStarts Grand Finale, the founders begin their journey to the "Mecca of Tech". For some of the founders it’s their first time in the global heart of tech and innovation. And yet for others, like Sally from Airloom, it’s a return to the place where the startup journey began.

It's Part II of the SheStarts founders trip to Silicon Valley. In this episode, the founders visit the headquarters of some of the world’s tech giants, the size and scale of which is overwhelming. For Neighbourlytics co-founders Jess and Lucinda visiting the leaders of tech also raises a new set of questions for their business. With the tech boom rapidly changing the design and make up of the San Francisco area, they wonder; is Silicon Valley perhaps the place they need to be to have the biggest impact?

During their final days on the other side of the globe, the SheStarts founders are preparing for the ultimate test - pitching their startups to some of the world’s savviest investors in San Francisco. Will the months of hard work pay off? Can they prove they have what it takes to build a global business? And if they can… what’s next?